Inflation needle

ABSTRACT

Implementations of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for inflating objects. Particularly, at least one implementation includes a semi-flexible inflation needle that can bend without breaking Furthermore, at least one implementation includes a semi-flexible inflation needle that includes a cut out portion as a safety feature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for inflating balls used for sports.

2. Background and Relevant Art

Pumps with inflation needles are widely used and well known in various arts. For example, inflatable balls, air mattresses, and children's play toys are all objects that are inflated using a pump with an inflation needle. Different types of inflation needles are used depending on the valve of the object to be inflated. For example, inflatable air mattresses often employ a push valve and are inflated using a large, rigid, tapered needle for inflating. On the other hand, inflatable balls use a “ball valve” which requires needles with a narrow shaft so that the needle can be inserted in the narrow opening of the valve.

Inflatable balls have been a major part of the professional and recreational sporting industries for a number of years. From large groups like the National Basketball Association® and Major League Soccer® to dedicated school-aged children on driveways, soccer pitches, and football fields, inflatable balls are a staple of modern sports.

Historically, rigid metal inflation needles have been used to inflate sports balls. The shafts of these needles are prone to bend and break off at the connection between the shaft and the collar. As such, users of rigid inflation needles must take particular care to insert the needle at a proper angle, and to maintain that angle between the needle and the ball while pumping up the ball and removing the needle. For example, if the pumping motion of a user pumping up a ball alters the angle between the ball and the needle then the tension stress created by the change in angle will break the shaft from the collar of the inflation needle, leaving the user with an unusable inflation needle.

In addition, when the shaft of the needle breaks off of the collar it is often lost inside the ball that was being inflated when the needle broke. In the best case scenario this results in an unwanted rattling noise when the ball is used, and in the worst case can destroy the valve of the ball, thereby rendering the ball useless.

Unfortunately, replacing cracked inflation needles can be expensive and time consuming. Moreover, if an inflation needle breaks at the wrong time, a user can be left without a ball for an important sporting event. Indeed, in some instances, a broken needle can let down an entire team.

In still other instances, the shaft of an inflation needle is manufactured with only one hole appearing at the tip of the needle. This can cause a safety concern if the inflation needle is used incorrectly or by an unsupervised child. For example, the child may press the tip of the inflation needle against his skin and engage the pump. With the hole at the tip of the pump covered and no other escape route for the air flow generated by the pump, the child may experience unwanted pressure on his skin that could result in injury.

Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages in conventional inflation needles that can be addressed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Implementations of the present invention solve one or more of the foregoing or other problems in the art with inflation needles. For example, one or more implementations of the present invention include inflation needles with a semi-flexible shaft. Additionally, one or more implementations of the present invention include inflation needles that can withstand sheer and/or tension stress.

Additional features and advantages of exemplary implementations of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations. The features and advantages of such implementations may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. For better understanding, the like elements have been designated by like reference numbers throughout the various accompanying figures. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a side perspective view of an inflation needle in accordance with one implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates a top perspective view of the inflation needle of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of the inflation needle of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B illustrates a close-up perspective view of the tip of the inflation needle of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2C illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the inflation needle of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of an inflation needle in accordance with one implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 3B illustrates a close-up perspective view of the tip of the inflation needle of FIG. 3A; and

FIG. 3C illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the inflation needle of FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Implementations of the present invention provide semi-flexible, durable inflation needles that can withstand sheer and/or tension stress.

In one or more implementations, the inflation needle can be made of a polymer. Suitable polymers include DuPont Delrin®. Regardless of the material from which the inflation needle is made, the inflation needle is semi-flexible such that it returns to its original shape following deformation. At the same time, the inflation needle is rigid enough to be inserted into a conventional ball valve such as those used in sports balls.

Additionally or alternatively, the tip of the inflation needle can include a hollowed-out side as a safety feature. In such implementations air is allowed to escape the shaft of the inflation needle even if the tip of the inflation needle is covered.

Referring now to the Figures, FIGS. 1A-2C illustrate one implementation of the present invention. Particularly, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, an inflation needle 100 may have a shaft 102, a first end 104, and a second end 106. As shown in FIG. 1B, first end 104 may be inserted into the ball valve of an inflatable object 200 such as a basketball, football, or soccer ball. Further, although not shown in the Figures, second end 106 is configured to be selectively coupled to a pump. Although FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate second end 106 as a spirally grooved cylinder, it should be understood that second end 106 may constitute any configuration that allows second end 106 to be coupled to a pump.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2A, the inflation needle 100 can have a collar 108 distinguished from the shaft 102 by a distal perimeter 110. In at least one implementation, the shaft 102 can have a substantially cylindrical shape. However, it will be appreciated that the shaft 102 can be of any shape or configuration so long as it is semi-flexible as explained above. For example, shaft 102 can be tapered.

In at least one implementation, the distal perimeter 110 can simply be the point of distinction between the shaft 102 and the collar 108. Thus, for example, the inflation needle 100 can be cast-molded out of a cast-moldable material. Such a cast-mold may include a conduit 124 (see FIG. 2C) as part of the mold, or the mold may be solid and a conduit drilled or machined as a subsequent manufacturing step. Such cast-moldable materials include at least plastic, rubber, silicone, etc. Accordingly, in such configurations the entire inflation needle 100 is one continuous piece of material and distal perimeter 110 results from the cast-mold used to create the inflation needle 100.

In at least one implementation, the collar 108 can have a proximal perimeter 112 which has a circumference that is larger than the circumference of distal perimeter 110 thereby giving the collar 108 a substantially conical shape as shown in FIG. 2A.

In other implementations the collar 108 can have a finger grip 114 which has a circumference that is larger than the circumference of proximal perimeter 112 thereby giving the user a useful finger hold for removing inflation needle 100 from a sports ball.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, shaft 102 of inflation needle 100 can have a tip 116 that can allow air to escape from the inflation needle 100. In at least one implementation, the tip 116 can have a substantially cylindrical shape with a first side 118 and a second side 120. Further, first side 118 can include a cutout 122. Thus, if a user places the tip 116 on a surface that does not allow for the release of air through tip 116, the air can release through cutout 122. Such implementations are particularly useful when young children use the invention. Whether the young child is the sports enthusiast or a child of the sports enthusiast, the cutout 122 guards against injury. For example, as further described below, the tip 116 also can be of any shape or configuration.

Referring now to FIG. 2C which shows a cross-sectional view of inflation needle 100. Inflation needle 100 can have a conduit 124 that extends between first end 104 and second end 106 to allow for air passage therethrough. While FIG. 2C illustrates conduit 124 as having generally the same shape as shaft 102, it should be understood that conduit 124 can be of any suitable shape or size such that air can pass therethrough. For example, conduit 124 may be larger or smaller in circumference than as depicted in FIG. 2C.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3C, shaft 102 a of inflation needle 100 can alternatively have a solid tip 116 a. Solid tip 116 a can have a portion thereof removed to expose the end of the conduit 124 a running through the shaft 102 a, thereby allowing air to flow through the conduit 124 a to inflate an object when the inflation needle 100 is inserted into a ball valve. In such implementations, conduit 124 a of shaft 102 a may terminate somewhere along the length of shaft 102 a rather than extend the full length of shaft 102 a, as does the conduit in FIG. 2C. As a result, conduit 124 a of shaft 102 a may be exposed at a point proximal from tip 116 a. In such implementations, solid tip 116 a may be made of more material than tip 116 and therefore may be less likely to kink or cave in when inserted into a ball valve. Additionally, the additional material in solid tip 116 a may increase tip 116 a's ability to penetrate a ball valve.

Accordingly, FIGS. 1-3B and the corresponding text provide a number of different components and mechanisms for manufacturing an inflation needle.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 

I claim:
 1. An inflation needle, comprising: a first end configured to be inserted into an inflatable object; a second end configured to be selectively couplable to a pump; a conduit that extends between the first and second ends to allow for air passage therethrough; a shaft; and wherein the inflation needle is semi-flexible such that the shaft can bend and spontaneously return to its original shape without breaking.
 2. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the inflation needle further includes a collar connecting the shaft to the second end.
 3. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft is cylindrical.
 4. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft is tapered.
 5. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the inflation needle is made of DuPont Delrin®.
 6. The inflation needle as recited in claim 2, wherein the collar includes a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter and wherein the circumference of the proximal perimeter of the collar is larger than the circumference of the distal perimeter of the collar such that the collar has a substantially conical shape.
 7. The inflation needle as recited in claim 2, wherein the collar includes a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter and wherein the circumference of the proximal perimeter of the collar is larger than the circumference of the distal perimeter of the collar such that the collar has a substantially pyramidal shape.
 8. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the first end includes a first side and a second side and wherein the first side of the first end includes a cut out portion.
 9. The inflation needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the inflation needle is cast-molded as a single piece of material.
 10. The inflation needle as recited in claim 9, wherein the single piece of material is rubber, silicone, or plastic.
 11. The inflation needle as recited in claim 2, wherein the collar is sized to at least partially fit inside the valve opening of a ball valve.
 12. An inflation needle, comprising: a first end configured to be inserted into a ball valve; a second end configured to be selectively couplable to a pump; a shaft that extends between the first end and the second end and includes a tip; a conduit within the shaft that extends from the second end along a portion of the shaft but not extending through the tip; and wherein the inflation needle is semi-flexible such that the shaft can bend and spontaneously return to its original shape.
 13. The inflation needle as recited in claim 12, wherein the tip includes a cut out portion.
 14. The inflation needle as recited in claim 13, wherein the conduit is exposed at a point located proximal from the tip, and wherein air may enter the conduit at the second end, flow through the conduit, and exit at the exposed point of the conduit proximal from the tip.
 15. An inflation needle, comprising: a first end configured to be inserted into a ball valve; a second end configured to be selectively couplable to a pump; a conduit that extends between the first and second ends to allow for air passage therethrough; a shaft that substantially encloses the conduit; a collar connecting the shaft to the second end; and wherein the inflation needle is semi-flexible such that the shaft can bend and spontaneously return to its original shape.
 16. The inflation needle as recited in claim 15, wherein the collar includes a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter and wherein the circumference of the proximal perimeter of the collar is larger than the circumference of the distal perimeter of the collar such that the collar has a substantially conical shape.
 17. The inflation needle as recited in claim 15, wherein the first end includes a first side and a second side and wherein the first side of the first end includes a cut out portion.
 18. The inflation needle as recited in claim 15, wherein the collar is sized to at least partially fit inside the valve opening of a ball valve.
 19. An inflation needle, comprising: a first end comprising: a first side that includes a cut out portion, the first end being configured to be inserted into an inflatable object; and a second side; a second end configured to be selectively couplable to a pump; a conduit that extends between the first and second ends to allow for air passage therethrough; a shaft that substantially encloses the conduit; a collar connecting the shaft to the second end; wherein the inflation needle is semi-flexible such that the shaft can bend without breaking; and wherein the first end includes a first side and a second side and wherein the first side of the first end includes a cut out portion.
 20. The inflation needle as recited in claim 19, wherein the collar includes a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter and wherein the circumference of the proximal perimeter of the collar is larger than the circumference of the distal perimeter of the collar such that the collar has a substantially conical shape. 